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Two Worlds One Heart

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Two Worlds One Heart
Studio album by
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Released1990
GenreIsicathamiya[1]
LabelWarner Bros.[2]
Ladysmith Black Mambazo chronology
Journey of Dreams
(1988) 		Two Worlds One Heart
(1990) 		Classic Tracks
(1990)

Two Worlds One Heart is an album by the South African choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, released in 1990.[3][4] The first single was "Township Jive", which the group had performed on the Graceland tour.[5][6]

The album peaked at No. 2 on Billboard's World Albums chart.[7] The group supported the album with a North American tour.[8]

Production

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Several songs contain instrumental backing, a first for a Ladysmith album.[9] Ray Phiri wrote two of the album's songs.[10] Marvin Winans produced "Leaning on the Everlasting Arm", on which the Winans sang; group leader Joseph Shabalala was inspired to record the song after hearing Sweet Honey in the Rock.[5][11][12] George Clinton cowrote and produced "Scatter the Fire".[13] Anton Fig played drums on the album.[14]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[15]
Calgary HeraldB[16]
Chicago Tribune[6]
Robert ChristgauA−[17]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[18]
Los Angeles Times[19]
MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide[20]
Orlando Sentinel[14]
Ottawa Citizen[11]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[21]

Robert Christgau wrote that Shabalala "has the lineaments of a pop visionary, and here he arrives at a crossover that does the style proud, moving gracefully from Zulu to English within and between songs and pumping the a cappella rhythms with instruments on three cuts."[17] The Austin American-Statesman concluded that "the most intriguing musical meeting of minds ... is undoubtedly 'Scatter the Fire', a song that melds Zulu dance and American mutant funk."[13]

The Calgary Herald deemed the album "another haunting collection of spirituals, ballads, and Zulu traditionals."[16] The Los Angeles Times determined that "much of LBM's music is based on hypnotic, not-quite-mainstream-sounding harmonies sung by voices so beautiful as to be not quite of this world... No one is making music more heartfelt than this."[19] The Houston Chronicle praised the "dreamlike, a cappella harmonies and uplifting messages of faith and hope."[22]

AllMusic wrote that "this is one of the most ambitious albums Ladysmith has ever done, and its risk-taking pays off handsomely."[15]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleLength
1."Township Jive" 
2."Ofana Naye (Nobody Like Him)" 
3."Bala Ubhale (Count and Write)" 
4."Love Your Neighbor" 
5."Leaning on the Everlasting Arm" 
6."Rejoice" 
7."Hayi Ngalesiskhathi (Not Right Now)" 
8."Emhlabeni (In This World)" 
9."Isikhathi Siyimali (Time Is Money)" 
10."Ngomnyango (By the Door)" 
11."Scatter the Fire" 
12."Cothoza Mfana (Tip Toes Guy)" 

References

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  1. ^ Erlmann, Veit (March 3, 1996). Nightsong: Performance, Power, and Practice in South Africa. University of Chicago Press.
  2. ^ Martin, Andrew R.; Mihalka, Matthew (September 8, 2020). Music around the World: A Global Encyclopedia [3 volumes]: A Global Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO.
  3. ^ Santoro, Gene (Aug 1990). "Record & CD Reviews: Ladysmith Black Mambazo". DownBeat. Vol. 57, no. 8. p. 34.
  4. ^ "Remembering Joseph Shabalala, Founder of Ladysmith Black Mambazo". NPR.
  5. ^ a b Heim, Chris (18 May 1990). "The first single from Ladysmith Black Mambazo's new album...". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. O.
  6. ^ a b Van Matre, Lynn (28 June 1990). "Ladysmith Black Mambazo Two Worlds One Heart". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
  7. ^ "Ladysmith Black Mambazo". Billboard.
  8. ^ Snider, Eric (14 Sep 1990). "Love in a cappella". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 24.
  9. ^ Lannert, John (27 Apr 1990). "African Singers Bridge Musical Gap". Features Showtime. Sun-Sentinel. p. 17.
  10. ^ Mojapelo, Max (June 3, 2008). Beyond Memory: Recording the History, Moments and Memories of South African Music. African Minds.
  11. ^ a b Erskine, Evelyn (6 July 1990). "Ladysmith Black Mambazo Two Worlds One Heart". Ottawa Citizen. p. D6.
  12. ^ Toombs, Mikel (September 21, 1990). "Singers of rhythm and muse – Ladysmith founder in tune with 'teacher'". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. C3.
  13. ^ a b Point, Michael (7 June 1990). "Ladysmith's latest broadens appeal". Onward. Austin American-Statesman. p. 19.
  14. ^ a b Gettelman, Parry (10 Aug 1990). "Ladysmith Black Mambazo". Calendar. Orlando Sentinel. p. 20.
  15. ^ a b "Ladysmith Black Mambazo Two Worlds One Heart". AllMusic.
  16. ^ a b Den Tandt, Michael (14 June 1990). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald. p. E3.
  17. ^ a b "Ladysmith Black Mambazo". Robert Christgau.
  18. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 5. MUZE. p. 62.
  19. ^ a b Johnson, Connie (17 June 1990). "Ladysmith Black Mambazo 'Two Worlds, One Heart'". Calendar. Los Angeles Times. p. 61.
  20. ^ MusicHound World: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 2000. p. 416.
  21. ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. pp. 411–412.
  22. ^ Mitchell, Rick (June 10, 1990). "Two Worlds One Heart Ladysmith Black Mambazo". Zest. Houston Chronicle. p. 14.
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